The present invention relates to a power-and-free conveyor, and more particularly to an apparatus for use in such a conveyor for accumulating carriers and transferring the carrier from one power line to another through a power line discontinuous section.
Power-and-free conveyors are known which comprise first and second power lines arranged discontinuously, a free line coextensive with the two power lines therebelow along the power line discontinuous section, a multiplicity of pushers pivotally movable upward and downward and attached at a specified spacing to a drive chain on each of the power lines, a dog engageable with the pusher and mounted on each of a multiplicity of carriers on the free line, and a pusher raising cam mounted on each of the carriers and having a dog receiving recess at its rear portion.
Conventionally an apparatus, such as a carrier pushing hydraulic cylinder apparatus, which is separate from the conveyor is used for transferring the carrier from the first power line to the second through the power line discontinuous section. The apparatus requires a carrier stopping device to the rear of a standby section positioned along the first power line in the vicinity of the discontinuous section.
Accordingly it is presently desired to provide for the power line discontinuous section a carrier transfer apparatus which does not require any special apparatus or stopping device other than the power-and-free conveyor.